Do you love spending time outdoors with your family, but don't like the hassle of cooking food over an open flame?
Well, we have the perfect solution for you!
A BBQ Hut (sometimes also called a “Scandinavian Cabin”) is a great way to get the best of both worlds - spending time outdoors and enjoying a delicious cooked meal at the same time.
Imagine gathering around the fire pit in your new BBQ Hut with your friends and family: The perfect place to relax, chat, and enjoy great food.
With so many features like this, it’s no wonder they’re becoming so popular!
But, what type of things can you do in a BBQ Hut?
Here are 10 surprisingly cool ideas to get you started:
1. Have A Family Cook-Off!
Depending on how competitive your family is, they will absolutely love this idea!
You can have different stations set up with all the necessary cooking utensils, and each family member can choose their own dish to make.
Most BBQ huts are designed in such a way that the central grill is surrounded by a central grill unit with removable knee trays, a grill, and an adjustable hood.
There's plenty of space to take turns cooking and plenty of space for everyone to help!
The next time you host one of these, please feel free to take a few pics and share them with us on social media using the hashtag #familycookoff.
Related: Go Plant-Based with These 4 Vegan BBQ Recipes
2. Have A Movie Night
This is the perfect way to spend a summer’s evening!
You can set up a projector and screen in your hut, make some popcorn and snuggle under blankets whilst you watch your favourite film(s).
Try as you may, it's a totally different atmosphere when you compare it to camping outside and trying to keep the bugs away!
And, even though we mentioned summer, this is also a perfect way of spending time together in the colder months.
3. Hold A Board Game Tournament
Do you and your family love playing board games? If so, what better way to spend some quality time together than by holding a tournament in your very own hut!
A board game tournament sounds pretty formal, right? But, it's basically sitting down together and playing board games and the winner gets a prize at the end, such as choosing what you all have for dinner that night!
Sadly, the joys of board game sessions have been lost over the years with everyone buried in their own screens of an evening…With any luck, this will be a thing of the past soon with more and more people realising the benefits of spending quality time together in a really nice outdoor space.
4. Make It A Reading Hut
How many times do you hear people say that they just don't have the time to read anymore?
Well, here is the perfect solution!
Make your hut a reading hut and stipulate that everybody has to spend an hour reading in there every day/week.
This is a wonderful way to get some quiet time whilst still being outdoors - if you have younger children, they can read or listen to audiobooks, too. Granted, they'll have their headphones on, however, it'll still count as quality time spent together.
5. Have A Themed Party
This one is great for birthdays, Halloween, or even Christmas in your BBQ Hut!
You can decorate your hut to match the theme and have all the food and drink to match, too.
If you have family/friends that you haven't seen for a while, this is the perfect time to pick up the phone, dial those digits, and invite them over!
Just remember, ask your guests in advance what sort of food they like so you can cater to everyone's needs - no one likes a hungry party guest!
6. Hold A Karaoke Night
We had to think twice before adding this one; do people still do karaoke?
We're not sure, but we're going to say ‘yes’ because it's such a great way to spend an evening!
If you have a karaoke machine, great! If not, there are plenty of apps that you can use on either your phone, tablet or another device…
Just make sure that you put it on loud so that everyone can hear you, and off you go!
Strike up the BBQ, pour some drinks, and enjoy the evening both singing and (possibly/probably) holding your ears while everyone gets their turn..!
One of the benefits of having a BBQ Hut is that it is designed to have a circular seating arrangement, so everyone can see the person who is singing/performing.
That way, you won't feel like you're on stage with the full spotlight on you and encourages a more relaxed atmosphere.
7. Have A Picnic
Ah, an oldie, but a goldie!
Just because you're still at home, it doesn't mean you can't have a picnic.
Spread out a blanket outside the hut, put out some food and drinks, and enjoy each other's company in the great outdoors.
For this, you can pack some raw meat and veggies, some dips, some bread, and whatever else you fancy.
Get the BBQ going, cook your meat and you've got yourself a feast!
Depending on the type of BBQ Hut you have, you can add an additional accessory of a wooden tabletop that can be placed on the BBQ Grill which means you have a lot more table space for food prep, and drinks.
You'd be surprised just how handy this is!
8. Poker Night
Poker Night will never be quite the same after you transport it from the kitchen table to your own private BBQ Hut.
Whether you're playing for money or just for fun, poker is a great game to play with family and friends.
And, because it's in your own hut, you can make it as rowdy or as relaxed as you want!
Most men dream of having their very own man cave and for good reason. It's a place where they can escape to watch the game, play some poker with the guys, or just relax with a beer.
The problem is, most homes just don't have the space for a man cave.
This is where a BBQ Hut comes in handy! It can easily be transformed into the perfect man cave, and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your own garden.
What's not to love?
9. Date Night
Don't worry if your hut isn't kitted out with the latest Bose speakers and a flatscreen TV, you can still have a romantic night in with your partner.
Light some candles, put on some soft music, and enjoy a quiet evening together. You could even cook dinner together beforehand to make it extra special.
Dust off that old radio that's hiding under the stairs and tune in to your favourite station. If you're feeling extra nostalgic, you could even write love letters to each other instead of texting or emailing.
Too far?
It's your night, so do what makes you happy :)
10. Neighbour Invite Night
Do you remember the days when we would hold street parties and everyone would come out of their houses to socialise?
Neighbour Invite Night is a great way to bring back that community feel and get to know your neighbours a little better.
You could even do a potluck dinner so that everyone brings something to BBQ and share!
This is an awesome way to spend an evening if you have kids, as they can run around in the garden and play while the adults chat in the cabin.
Just make sure you invite everyone in advance so that they can clear their schedules!
In Summary
So, there you have it: 10 surprisingly awesome ideas for family time in a BBQ Hut.
We hope you enjoyed our list and that you found some inspiration for your next family get-together.
Do you have any to add?
